Improvement in plow-colters



'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EPHRAIM O. HODGE, OF ONEONTA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLOW-COLTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 112,039, dated February21, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM C. HODGE, of Oneonta, in the county ofOtsego and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oolters and the Manner of Operating them on Reversibleand Flat-Land Blows; and the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure lrepresents a side view of a section of the plow-beaimyoke, and colter inthe proper position for use, on one side of the beam, the colter thrownback, shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows a rear end view of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a colter that may be used on areversible plow, sustaining the same relation to the point of the plowwhen used either right or left, and cutting the furrowslice in the samemanner as the stationary colter of aflat land-side plow, while at thesame time it is easily adjusted to the change, is strong, light, anddurable, and may be used or not, at pleasure, without removing it fromthe plow.

My invention consists in providing the colter-blade with a handleextending up and back a sufficient distance to be within easy reach ofthe plowman while holding the plow, and securing the same to theplow-beam by means of a yoke or frame pivoted to the beam in such amanner as to admit of the colter being raised above the beam when it ismoved from one side to the' other, to ,operate conjointly with thereversible point or plow, and

also to allow the frame and colter to be thrown back when desired.

To enable others to make and use my improvements in colters, and operatethem on reversible plows, I will describe them more in detail, referringto the drawing and the letters marked thereon.

The plow-beam A may be made of wood or of cast metal of any desiredpattern, form, or dimensions suitable for a hill-side or reversibleplow.

To the beam A, in a proper position, is attached a yoke or frame, B7made in two pieces of flat bar-iron, which are connected together at thetop with two bars of round iron, C C, of a sufficient length to give thewidth or space between the iiat bars B B for the colter D to be securedby holes through it, or notches e e in the edges, so that it will slidefreely from side to side.

The yoke B is pivoted to the beam A byu a bolt, a, passing through bothsides and the projections b b on both sides of the beam, to make it llthe space between the lower ends of bars B B, which make the sides ofthe yoke.

The colter D may be made of wrought-iron laid with steel and tempered onthe forward edge, or of cast-iron chilled on the cuttingedge, the formbeing such that it can be secured to the yoke by having two holesthrough the central portion near its edges, or two notches, c c, ttingon the rods C C, so as to slide freely on or between the rods from sideto side.

The upper end of the colter D, that extendsV above the yoke B, is formedinto a handle, d, and is within easy reach of the plowman, so that hecan disengage it from obstructions, or shift it from one side of thebeam to the other, or ele-vate it entirely out of the way, or throw itback into a reversed vertical position, without leaving his positionbetween the handles of the plow or stopping his team.

On both side of the beam A are placed and secured clasps or stops E E,of any suitable design, to support the colter D in its proper positionwhen in use.

The yoke, attached to the beam in the manner described, may be madetight, as the colter D is supported on the stops "E E. The fulerum-poweris in a direct line with the greatest strength of the bars B.

The two rods or bolts O C secure the colter more firmly, and prevent itfrom turning from a direct line when in the ground.

The yoke being pivoted, or the axis of motion being at its lower end, itmay bethrown up very easily, bringing the center of gravity toward therear end of the plow, thus holding the colter out of the ground by itsown weight when desired, and at the same time in a position where it canbe instant] y used. By adding Weight to the handle d the eolter may be Knicely balanced, so as to facilitate the design and operation.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The coiter D d, in combination with yoke B, stops E E, slide-rods C C,and beam A,

whereby the colter may be used on either sideA of the beam and adjusted:Lt the will of the operator, as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name..

EPHRAIM G. HODGE. Witnesses:

D. J. YERGER, G. F. BIssELL.

